But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion. For woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if it is not of my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my right in the gospel.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;

and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things are examples for us, not to desire evil things as they did.

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

I speak as to sensible men; judge for yourselves what I say.

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."

But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who informed you and for conscience' sake

the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?

If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

For if a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, let her cover her head.

For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.

For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;

neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

For as woman was made from man, so also man is born of woman. And all things are from God.

Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

But in the following instructions, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

For there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.

for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk.

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,

and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one bodywhether Jews or Greeks, slaves or freeand we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body is not made up of one member but of many.

If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason be any less a part of the body.

And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason be any less a part of the body.

so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part;

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know fullyeven as I have been fully known.

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands him, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their edification and encouragement and comfort.

And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?

So it is with you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is intelligible, how will anyone know what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

So it is with you; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in building up the church.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; but prophecy is for believers, not for unbelievers.

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, or a teaching, or a revelation, or a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged;

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as even the law says.

If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised.

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.

For since by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

"For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him.

Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are people baptized for them?

If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

For not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of birds, and another of fish.

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you must also do.

If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia;

For I do not want to see you now just in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you with nothing to fear, for he is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am.

So let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, that he may return to me; for I am expecting him with the brethren.

As for our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the other brethren, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.

For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Give recognition to such men.

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings that we suffer.

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

You also must help us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience, that with holiness and godly sincerity, not in worldly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and still more toward you.

For we write you nothing but what you can read and understand; and I hope you will understand fully,

For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by usby me and Silvanus and Timothywas not Yes and No, but in him it has always been Yes.

For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are Yes. And so through him we speak our Amen to the glory of God.

Not that we lord it over your faith; but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained?

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I had confidence in all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority,

I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.

Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ,

in order that Satan might gain no advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Now when I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,